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Topic: Second MTUs - TEDstaff: do you have plans for smaller current transformers? (Read 15864 times)

Q1) If using a second MTU to monitor a single breaker, I would like a smaller current transformer to fit around the smaller wires. Does TEDco have any plans for that? Would it be possible to jury-rig something?

Q2) In single breaker monitoring, can I leave one current transformer unattached, or do I need to attach it to a ground wire?

Second MTU's for single breaker tracking seem like a natural for TED. More hardware revenue. Takes the pressure of the "Load Identification" programming effort. Meets a perceived need.

One problem with the "single breaker" option is that the gateway can only handle a maximum for four MTUs. Remember that the little brick you plugged into the wall and your network is doing the work a whole rack of equipment was required for a couple of years ago. I think it does a lot for what it is, and the price you pay for it. I do agree that a smaller pickup option would be nice.

TED5000 is really designed to monitor whole-house consumption (and/or generation), with the potential to monitor a few large loads in the home as well.

sigh.

Are you saying it wouldn't be a nice advance, or are you saying it would be too hard to do?Because if it would be a nice advance, and not too hard, what it was really designed to do would be of historical interest, only.

==The least disruptive new device would be an octopus with six mini CT transformers, for monitoring up to 6 breakers. The gateway can handle 4 MTUs, so no change required there.

All these different energy monitoring systems will show real time usage of the whole use are individual appliances. But wont be in sync with the utility bill unless the device makers work with the energy providers. There are some providers offering the real time usage directly for water, gas, and electricity. But we still have a long way to go to get all the providers to offer these features.

I don't happen to be so interested in the billing side of it. I am mostly interesting in learning about usage, and maybe trying to conserve. If we get to "smart grid" billing, where I get a lower base rate in exchange for higher rates during high demand, then I will need something besides TED anyway.

So I don't think that the companies like TEDco need to work all that much with the utilities. I see requests in the forum to accommodate additional rate structures, but as far as I am concerned, that's wasted effort. However, I would like to be able to enter a current meter reading, and have TED try to keep in sync, just as a high level check. It wouldn't be that hard.

I was thinking the same as one of the posts above. It would be nice if we knew what the ct would need to output so that we could tie our own ct into the gateway. I would love to have a smaller ct to monitor some circuits inside of my subpanel